Shanahan still in limbo

September 10, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Brendan Shanahan deserves a third season in Broadway.

As training camp approaches less than a week away, Brendan Shanahan continues to train at the Rangers practice facility waiting to hear from President/GM Glen Sather.

The question is will Sather reach out to the 39 year-old veteran right wing who in two seasons on Broadway has been one of the better finishers while being a solid citizen who provided leadership on and off the ice. In today’s Post, beat writer Larry Brooks ponders if the future Hall of Fame finisher who’s tallied 52 goals along with 56 helpers for a respectable 108 points in 140 games will be back for Year 3 on what’s a revamped roster minus Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka replaced by Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev.

According to Brooks, the Blueshirts still have between $2.5 and 3 million of cap space if they opt to accommodate Shanahan, who strongly hinted that he wants to return to Manhattan for a 21st NHL season. Will money become an issue? Not if you believe what the well stated 650 goalscorer says:

“I’ve never talked about money in my whole career, and I’m not going to start now. What I’ll say, though, is that I don’t equate money with respect.”

If Ranger fans were wondering where Shanny’s loyalty is, all you have to do is look at what else he told Brooks:

“My intention is the same now as it’s been all summer, and that’s to play with the Rangers. When other teams have called my agent [Rick Curran], he’s told them not to even make offers. And those are teams that are offering jobs, not tryouts.“

Note that last bolded part as it appears to be a dig at Sather. Does that really surprise anyone considering what a snake he can be? Rememember John MacLean? Or how about No.9 Adam Graves anyone?!?!?!?!?!

Sather has always been a tough bargainer who’s a penny pincher. When it comes to his own players, he treats them like garbage. Brooks drove home a valid point earlier this summer in his daily Sunday Slap Shots columns about how the veteran executive turns over a new leaf when it comes to tossing out cash like it grows on trees on free agents. It’s no secret that he severely overpaid for Wade Redden, who seemed to be regressing the past couple of seasons in Ottawa. And while he can claim “market value” due to guys like Mark Streit (4 m per) and even re-signed top four Michal Rozsival (5 m per), it doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense handing out six years at an average of $6.5 for the ex-Senator.

Sometimes, I don’t get Slats. Shanahan still believes he can be of service and help this team which looks to be much softer with not as much character. Assuming Ryan Callahan and Nigel Dawes are penciled in on the wing along with Naslund and Zherdev, that’s four spots already. Petr Prucha, Fredrik Sjostrom figure to be in the mix along with addition Aaron Voros and enforcer Colton Orr. Competition could come from former No.1′s Lauri Korpikoski, Hugh Jessiman, Patrick Rismiller and a couple of others including camp invitee <gulp> Petr Nedved.

If they can allow Nedved to actually get a look, then wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to bring back Shanahan? Who would you rather have? A proven finisher who does many things well and could boost morale or a classic tease who never got the most of his talent eventually fizzling out of the league completely.

Shanahan definitely wants another year and why not? It’s not like the Rangers boast many legit 30-goal finishers on their roster. Perhaps Dawes develops into one if he continues to improve. He’s scored at every level. Callahan is a solid two-way player who can kill penalties but 30 goals looks like a reach. Pencil him in for 20-25.

Much of the offense seems to depend on whether veteran Swede Naslund can be rejuvenated now that he’s left Vancouver. Perhaps playing alongside Scott Gomez and Zherdev will get him back on track. As for the ex-Blue Jacket who put together his best season registering 61 points (26-35-61 in 82 GP) under disciplinarian Ken Hitchcock, it remains to be seen how the very gifted 23 year-old Russian will adjust to playing under the limelight. There’ll be a lot more expectations.

So, you’re telling us the Rangers couldn’t use one more reliable experienced player who knows a thing or two about putting the biscuit in the basket? I don’t buy it. Sure. He’s going to turn 40 next January and based on the last two seasons, can’t be relied on to play all 82. Injuries will happen given how dirty Shanny gets. He’s always willing to sacrifice his body for the good of the team. Maybe a reduced role could work better where he gets third line minutes (who wouldn’t want a guy with his ability on a third line?) along with PP and a little less PK time might work to everyone’s benefit.

For now, the classy No.14 continues to wait in the shadows hoping to be part of a 2008-09 season which will see Graves’ No.9 takes it place up in the rafters alongside 1994 Cup heroes Mark Messier, Mike Richter and Brian Leetch. And don’t forget too that the Rangers will also finally honor tradition by having a very special night for hockey legends Andy Bathgate (Original No.9) and Harry Howell.

It would seem appropriate for Shanahan to be wearing Ranger blue for that special ceremony because even though he’ll never be remembered as a Ranger, he exemplifies the kind of player we as fans up in the blue seats admire and cheer for. Any guy with his character who would stick up for Jagr dropping the gloves with one of the toughest SOBs in the league in Donald Brashear is the kind of player New York Ranger fans have always taken to.

He might not be the player he was on the Blues or on those Red Wing teams he helped win three Stanley Cups with but this is still a guy who can be a threat and do oh so much for this team which remains a question mark based on our GM’s summer madness.

On why bringing back Shanny makes sense. Just read his final couple of statements summing up a player who personifies the way the game should be played and cares only about one thing:

“I appreciate compliments about my role as a leader or mentor, but I’m not playing in the NHL this year to be a, ‘Good locker room guy.’ I’m coming to play hard on both sides of the puck, to attack and defend, and to help my team win games.

“My fuel is winning hockey games. I believe I can help the Rangers win hockey games.“

Winning.